Car club comes to Surbiton

3:26pm Tuesday 15th July 2008

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Imagine being able to walk out of your house, jump in a car and not have to worry about MOTs, services, repairs or the spiralling petrol costs.

With the cost of running a car climbing by the week, an innovative car club scheme is being launched in Surbiton which will help save on the pennies and give the planet a helping hand as well.

“Not only will this give residents greater transport choices, but it can help cut local congestion, parking problems and carbon emissions by reducing overall levels of car ownership and use.”

Councillor Bob Steed

The borough's first on-street car club will be launched in Claremont Road, Surbiton, on July 21 which allows residents and businesses to hire a car by the hour.

The scheme will be operated by Streetcar who already have off-street schemes running in North Kingston, Norbiton and New Malden.

People wishing to use the scheme register online, pay a annual fee and then pay an hourly rate to use a new Volkswagen Polo or Golf.

The hourly rate covers all insurance and maintenance costs as well as the first 30 miles of fuel.

The scheme was organised by Kingston Council's road safety and travel awareness team who have been rigorously planning the scheme for over a year, ensuring that special permits were organised for the two cars and proper signs and road markings were in place.

It is hoped to expand the scheme to eight cars within a year.

Kingston Council's executive member for transport, Councillor Bob Steed, said: "The Council is delighted to be able to introduce an on-street car club scheme in the borough.

"Not only will this give residents greater transport choices, but it can help cut local congestion, parking problems and carbon emissions by reducing overall levels of car ownership and use."

There will be a demonstration of the cars at a launch event at Surbiton Station at 8am on Wednesday, July 23.

If you have any comments about car clubs in the borough, contact the council's road safety and travel awareness team on 020 8547 5865 or at travel.awareness@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.

Alternatively, visit streetcar.co.uk.